What steps has Guangdong taken to promote industrial structure optimization?

Our efforts have mainly been focused on four areas: establishing a modern industrial system, with advanced manufacturing and modern service as its main components; developing emerging and hi-tech industries, particularly high-end electronic information, new-energy vehicle and LED (light-emitting diode) illumination; streamlining traditional industries with IT applications and new technologies; and expanding our innovation capacity.

What measures is Guangdong putting in place to cushion the impact on foreign trade from the yuan's appreciation?

The yuan's appreciation will present both opportunities and challenges to Guangdong. The appreciation will force the province to optimize its exporting structure and allow Guangdong enterprises to utilize more overseas resources. Costs associated with overseas investments and mergers and acquisitions for Guangdong enterprises will also decrease as the yuan appreciates, so that these enterprises can better implement their "go abroad" strategies. But as a double-edged sword, the yuan's appreciation will increase costs for companies in processing trade, which purchase raw materials in China, and also put an additional squeeze on exporters' already thin profit margins.

With an economy that relies on external demand, Guangdong will adopt measures to adjust its trade structure and promote trade growth. While encouraging more exports of technology-intensive and high value-added goods, we will help companies rev up their innovation capacity and expand exports of goods carrying their brand names or made from homegrown technologies.

We'll also propel the transformation of export-oriented processing companies into companies capable of independent design and innovation. This will allow them to realize balanced development in exports and imports, and sell their products originally produced for foreign consumers to domestic consumers. Local companies capable of overseas expansion are encouraged to invest abroad. At the same time, we will increase imports of advanced technologies and equipment to upgrade the domestic industry.

Bilateral trade between Guangdong and Russia has grown in recent years. What led to this increase and how will the province maintain these trade ties with Russia?

Trade volume between Guangdong and Russia reached $4.38 billion last year, or 11.3 percent of the total China-Russia trade. From January to August this year, it hit $3.86 billion, increasing 45.1 percent year on year.

We attribute this remarkable growth in part to frequent trade promotion activities. Last June, Wang Yang, Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, led a delegation to a trade fair in Russia and came back with a number of cooperation contracts. Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhanjiang have already established ties with some Russian cities, and officials and business delegations from both sides have visited each other on numerous occasions.

Guangdong and Russia enjoy complementary strengths in economic development and should continue to promote cooperation. First, we hope Russia will build new trading platforms for Guangdong businesses, including commodity trading, exhibition and logistic centers, and after-sales networks. Second, mutual investment should be deepened. For our part, we will encourage Russian investment in Guangdong's spacecraft, new material, petrochemical and heavy machinery industries. We also hope Russia will help Guangdong companies set up factories and develop contract work for construction and telecom projects in Russia. Third, we'll look to deepen cooperation in science and technology, education, culture and society. Finally, we should create an environment conducive to long-term, stable and all-around cooperation between both sides.